Past and Present
by assassinactual
Summary: Rachel's dads are out town on New Year's Eve, so she hosts a party.  But who is she going to kiss at midnight?


'_Past and present they don't matter got the future sorted out.'_

Quinn skipped up Berry's the stairs in time to her new favorite song. At the top she spun around to shuffle down the hall while shaking her hips and arms in time with the beat. Her head was down and she was mouthing the lyrics.

She spun around when she reached Rachel's door and nearly ran into a tall black man.

"Ahh!" Quinn shrieked. She tried to jump back, but tripped over her own feet. Her fall was stopped by a large hand gripping her arm firmly. She pressed a hand to her chest dramatically. "Leroy, jeez, you scared me. Rachel said you were at work."

"I just got home. Must have slipped past you with my awesome ninja skills."

"Let's not tell Rachel about _that_," Quinn said with a gesture to the hall behind her. Leroy raised an eyebrow in a way that made Quinn a little jealous.

"The dancing?"

Quinn's face turned red.

"That too," she said.

Leroy chuckled and patted Quinn's shoulder before wandering off down the hall. Quinn was opening Rachel's door when he called up the stairs.

"Quinn, are you staying for dinner?"

"Yeah," she yelled back.

When she slipped inside and shut the door behind herself, she found Rachel at her desk, looking Quinn's way expectantly.

"Well? Did you find it?" Rachel asked. Quinn slipped her backpack off and tossed it to Rachel.

"It was in the kitchen."

"Exactly were I said you left it," Rachel said smugly. She was pulling books out the bag and piling them in a neat stack. "Did I hear you scream a moment ago?" Quinn was suddenly very interested in logging into her Facebook account on Rachel's laptop.

"I, uh, I… tripped? Yeah, I tripped, uhm, stairs! I tripped on your stairs. They just jumped out at me. They're very dangerous, you should get them replaced." Rachel was staring at her like she had two heads. Quinn was eyeing possible escape routes. The window looked tempting. But Rachel just shook her head and cracked open Quinn's notebook. Quinn sighed in relief when Rachel started babbling about their English project.

* * *

><p>"No, see if we move that part to the beginning and the bit about how the characters relate to that after, it flows much better." Quinn was pacing around the room with a notebook in her hands while Rachel was at her computer editing their essay. Quinn always thought better while on her feet.<p>

"But, for the presentation—"

"Rachel, we're working on the _essay_ now. The presentation can wait." Her pacing had brought her close to Rachel. She poked her in the back, then turned around to retrace her steps. "Don't even try that pouting thing. I've built up an immunity." Rachel stuck out her tongue and turned back to her computer, but Quinn was careful to avoid looking at her for a few minutes after.

They worked in silence until Rachel began laughing so hard she nearly fell out of chair.

"What?" Quinn looked around the room and glanced self consciously down at herself, but couldn't find what was causing Rachel's laughter. When Rachel had calmed down, she started speaking.

"You, your dancing." Quinn blushed. "You were doing that before, weren't you? When you 'tripped'?"

"Shut up, it's a good song." She moved over to Rachel's dresser to drop her iPod into the docking station and restart the song. Quinn started moving as soon as the first chords of _1901_ left the speakers. She danced over to Rachel to show her her moves. Rachel was giggling.

"I think it's adorable." Quinn's heart fluttered a little more than it should have. She tried to hide her smile by pulling Rachel up to dance with her.

They were interrupted several songs later by a loud knock on the door. Rachel was nearby, so she pulled it open. Her father Leroy was there. He looked tentatively into the room, like he was prepared to look away quickly if he needed to.

"Dinner is almost ready. I called a couple minutes ago but I don't think you heard me."

"Okay daddy, we'll be down in a minute," Rachel said. Quinn shut off the music while Rachel tidied their notes and saved the essay. "You know, when you're here, he leaves us alone and he always announces himself and knocks when he comes up here. It's like he expects us to be making out or something. But with Finn he's always barging in and trying to get us to stay downstairs."

Quinn laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, weird. So, how are things with Finn?" She cringed as soon as she spoke the words.

Rachel seemed to almost as uncomfortable with the topic as she did.

"We, uh, well, not so good, really. He's just so juvenile about… things." Quinn made a noise that seemed to indicate agreement while trying to contain her excitement. "Let's not keep my dads waiting," Rachel blurted out. She grabbed Quinn's hand and dragged her downstairs.

* * *

><p>After dinner, Quinn was helping Hiram load the dishwasher while Leroy put away the leftovers and Rachel supervised. When the last plate was loaded, Quinn shut the machine and turned it on. Hiram turned his husband.<p>

"I almost forgot, dear, did you talk to Jonathon?"

"Yes, I did. He said Pam and her lot won't be there, so there should be lots of room for us."

Rachel looked dumbly between her fathers.

"What?" she said.

"We," Leroy gestured at himself Hiram, "are going to Akron for Jon's New Year's eve party."

"We'll be staying for a couple days," Hiram continued, "and we know you didn't really like it last year, so we're going to trust you to take care of yourself for a few days. Unless you want to come with us."

Quinn and Rachel immediately locked eyes. They had identical smirks on their faces. Both of them knew exactly what this meant.

"Now, I'm not going to tell you no parties, because I know that would be an exercise in futility." Apparently, so did Leroy. "But, I'm trusting you to be responsible." He glanced over at Quinn. "You too. So, don't get too loud, make sure everyone gets home safe, and try not to do anything illegal." Hiram winced. "And if I find out someone called the police on you…" he trailed off with an ominous look at the two girls.

Quinn looked terrified, but Rachel adopted her best innocent expression.

"Well then, I won't let you find out." Quinn tried hard not to laugh. She wasn't all that successful.

* * *

><p>On the second last night before Christmas holidays, Quinn received a call from Rachel around ten thirty.<p>

"Rach?"

"I broke up with him." Quinn could barely make out her words through the sniffling.

"I'll be right there."

They spent the rest of the night pigging out on vegan ice cream and working their way through Rachel's collection of sad movies. Well, they got about thirty minutes into The Notebook before Quinn declared it too depressing and switched it out for Toy Story.

The next morning, Rachel was unusually quiet while they got ready and had breakfast. Her fathers spent the morning alternately looking sympathetically at Rachel and winking at Quinn while gesturing discreetly towards Rachel.

By the time they got to school, Rachel was smiling almost as brightly as normal. Her mood briefly turned gloomy when they passed Finn in the hall, but she was smiling again by the end of their first class, thanks to Quinn flicking paper balls at the back of Puck's head the entire lesson.

* * *

><p>The basement was packed. It was only eight and almost everyone who was invited was already there. Most of the New Directions and the AV club were clustered around the TV, watching Mike destroy Sam at Mario Kart. Santana was on one of the couches with Brittany on her arm, surrounded by the Cheerios she had recruited to the Trouble Tones.<p>

Artie's laptop was playing his party playlist, while he and Lauren tried to connect all the various musical instruments people had brought to the sound system. Puck was on the stage with them, practicing a song with his guitar unplugged. Rachel was beside him, scanning the crowd.

"Noah, she isn't here. Why isn't she here? What if she crashed her car? It's very icy out there."

"Chill, babe. The party's just getting started, she'll be here." Rachel turned to him, probably to enlighten him about the hazards of icy roads, when she noticed his playing.

"You're still learning it?" she shrieked.

"I'm getting in a little last minute practice. Gotta make sure it's perfect for you and Quinn."

Rachel smiled sweetly at Puck.

"How thoughtful. But if you screw up," she leaned in to hiss the last words right into his ear, "They'll never find your body." Rachel was still smiling when she pulled back, but there was a crazed look in her eyes that made Puck believe she was serious.

Quinn arrived a few moments later with a few members of the jazz band. Rachel was immediately at the bottom of the stairs to greet her.

"Hi Quinn!"

Quinn's eyes slid over Rachel's tight jeans and form fitting top.

"Hey Rach. Sorry I'm late."

"Oh, I understand. I was just explaining the perils of icy roads to Noah. Would you like a drink?"

Once Quinn had been supplied with alcohol and the band members were in place, Rachel took to the stage to sing the song that was stuck in her head thanks to Quinn. She grabbed the microphone and looked right at her friend.

"Quinn, this is for you." Quinn's face lit up when the drummer started tapping out a familiar beat. Then the guitars came in, and everything ground to a halt. Rachel was beating Puck over the head with her microphone while he furiously fiddled with the knobs on his amp.

"Okay, okay stop it already! It's fixed." She was going to yell at Puck, but she caught sight of Quinn smiling up at her from the floor, so she gestured to the drummer. He counted them in, and this time Puck came in exactly on time and with the correct effects.

Quinn was unashamedly performing her dorky dance in front of everyone. It earned her a few stares, but everyone seemed to enthralled by her jerky hip thrusts to say anything. She closed her eyes and sang along with Rachel while making odd motions with her hands and shuffling across the room.

When Rachel sang the words _'moving in elliptical patterns'_, Quinn managed to actually dance in a elliptical pattern. She finished it with an ill-planned spin that caused her to crash right into Sugar, but she grabbed the girl and brought her into the dance as if that had been her plan all along.

The two of them dancing encouraged the others to join in, and soon everyone that wasn't on stage was dancing around the basement. Rachel kept her eyes on Quinn and Sugar. She wasn't sure whether she should be more concerned about Quinn looking like she was having some sort of seizure or Sugar grinding against her. But then Quinn turned to Rachel with another bright smile, and her concern melted away.

When Rachel was done, she passed her microphone to Blaine, who had launched into a very energetic cover of _Take me to the Riot_, and made her way over to the bar. Quinn was already there, pouring soda into two red cups.

"Did you like the song?" Rachel asked shyly.

"It was perfect." Quinn smiled and passed one of the cups to Rachel. "It's Captain and Coke," she supplied, after Rachel had already taken a large gulp.

"It's good. When Noah makes them, I'm sure he just fills the cup with rum and pours a little Coke on top."

"That's because he wants to get you drunk and sleep with you."

"And you don't?" Rachel said casually. Quinn choked on her drink. "Careful, now."

"No! I don't want you drunk when—I mean—I, don't want to sleep with you." Rachel could tell Quinn was lying. Normally, she would let it go, but she was already on her second drink, and she was feeling a little bold. She pouted dramatically. "Not that you're not attractive, 'cause you are. Like, super hot. Beautiful, really. So beautiful. Just… your eyes, and your smile, and your voice, it's… beautiful."

Quinn's face was red by the time she finished. She downed the rest of her drink. Rachel allowed her a moment to recover before she pressed on.

"That means a lot coming from you, Quinn. But I have to say, you are far prettier than I am."

"Thanks," Quinn muttered.

Quinn tried to hide herself in her drink again, but found it empty. She reached for the rum to make another.

"So, Quinn, I was wondering—" Rachel's question was cut off by Santana yelling at them.

"Hey, lesbos! Get over her, I wants to get my flip cup on." Rachel looked over at Quinn.

"Let's go. She'll just keep bitching about it until we do," Quinn said, taking Rachel's hand. She guided them over to the table where Brittany was pouring beer into cups.

"Really, Santana?" Rachel asked.

Santana shrugged.

"Just calling it like I see it."

* * *

><p>After the game, they sat down together on one the couches hidden away in a corner. Both were significantly more inebriated. Quinn was nervously playing with her hands while Rachel was hanging onto her arm.<p>

"So, Quinn," Rachel purred while stroking Quinn's arm. Quinn momentarily closed eyes and breathed out '_oh god_'. "I was trying to ask you something before and I didn't get to finish."

"What did you want to ask me?"

"Well, as you know, I am currently single." Quinn nodded. "And, as such, I have no one to kiss tonight. Now, I would be greatly disappointed if I didn't get a kiss tonight, because I really don't want to spend all of 2012 not kissing anyone." Quinn had to use all of her power to focus on what Rachel was saying, and not just stare at her lips. "So, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of kissing me at midnight." Quinn began to wonder if Puck had slipped some hallucinogens in her drink. "Quinn? Are you alright?"

"Fine, fine. I just thought you said you wanted to kiss me."

"Well, I did. Unless you already plan on kissing someone else, or if you object to kissing me, that would be understandable, of course—" Quinn pressed a finger to Rachel's lips in a shushing gesture. She intended to, at least. Between the drinks she had consumed and the Rachel-induced daze, it ended up being more of a gentle slap to the lower half of Rachel's face.

"Yes. I want to kiss you Rachel." Quinn lowered her hand. She still hadn't quite processed the words that had just left her mouth.

Rachel bounced excitedly.

"Really?" she said. Quinn nodded.

Rachel was leaning in towards her when Quinn's mind caught up with her mouth.

"At midnight! I mean I'll kiss you at midnight." Rachel looked a bit disappointed, but she just smiled and bounced off to the stage. Quinn groaned and sank further into the couch.

* * *

><p>"What is the point of this, Puckerman?" Quinn said. Puck had dragged her to the area in front of the stage. He gestured toward Rachel and Artie in response. They were both bent over Artie's laptop, discussing something on the screen. Rachel had acquired a Yankees cap somewhere.<p>

"What?"

"Just wait. This is going to be awesome." Puck could barely contain his excitement. "She's starting!"

Rachel had picked up a microphone, and was standing facing her audience. Quinn thought she recognized the beat coming from the speakers, but there was no way Rachel would ever sing_ that_.

"_If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one._" Apparently she would sing that. It wasn't the cleaned up version, either.

Everyone was staring at her in shock, except Puck, who was nodding along to the beat, and Finn who was sulking in the corner. Rachel was enthusiastically rapping. She was even throwing around hand gestures that seemed to be almost appropriate for the song. It was obvious that she had done this before.

Artie rolled up to Rachel after a minute or so and came in with: "_Son, do you know why I'm stopping you for?_"

"_Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hat's real low?_" Rachel responded, while pulling her cap lower over her eyes. They continued back and forth for a few lines, getting right in each other's faces. Rachel finished by pushing him backwards and turning back to her audience. The boy almost rolled off the stage and had to be caught by Tina.

When she finished the song, Rachel grabbed Santana and whispered something in her ear. Quinn was about to storm over to them when Puck grabbed her arm.

"Relax, Q, Rach won't do anything with Santana. She probably just wants to sing with her or something."

"What? Why—no, I'm not, I don't—what?"

"Okay, so you're still pretending you two aren't totally gay for each other. That's cool."

Quinn growled at him, but stayed put. Santana broke away from Rachel and gestured to two of her Cheerios. A few minutes later the pair was all over Finn. He looked like he forgotten his moping over Rachel.

* * *

><p>They were sitting together on the edge of the stage. Rachel was watching the festivities in New York on the TV. Quinn thought the song playing was <em>Imagine<em>, but she was more interested in the way Rachel's hand felt in hers. Rachel had grabbed it earlier to get her attention. Neither wanted to let go.

Quinn looked up at the TV. Two minutes to midnight.

"Fuck it," she said. Rachel whipped her head round. Before she could question her, Quinn leaned in and kissed Rachel lightly on the lips. Rachel started kissing back almost immediately. It didn't last long, but Quinn had to stop and catch her breath after she pulled away. Then she spoke. "Rachel, I don't want to just kiss you at midnight because you don't have anyone else to kiss. I want to kiss you every day. Like, multiple times. I want to sing duets with you and hold your hand, and make you laugh. I just want to be with you."

Quinn looked at Rachel with what she hoped was a smile, while mentally preparing herself to run far away if her answer was unsatisfactory.

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" Rachel said with a huge smile.

"Yes?" Quinn felt like she was going to throw up. That wouldn't make a very good impression on Rachel.

"Well, that's hardly the proper way to do it. I mean, what you said was nice, but shouldn't you have a song, or at least flowers or something." Quinn groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Quinn, I was joking, I would love to be your girlfriend." Quinn was suddenly smiling almost as widely as Rachel.

"Re—mmhmm." Rachel cut Quinn off with her lips. They kissed right through midnight, and only separated when Santana dragged them into another game of flip cup.

* * *

><p>The next morning (Afternoon. But early afternoon.) after breakfast, (Lunch.) Quinn left the Berry's house with a flurry of contrived excuses.<p>

She returned an hour later and presented Rachel with a bouquet of red roses, then proceeded to sing _I Want to Hold Your Hand _to her. When she was done, she pointed out a card stuck in the roses, with the words '_Be my girlfriend?'_ written on it.

Rachel's response was to literally jump into Quinn's arms. Quinn wasn't prepared for this, and they both crashed to the floor together. They were too busy kissing to really care, though.


End file.
